Purchase OBG Publications

An oil-rich equatorial country in West Africa, Gabon’s abundant natural resources have given it one of the highest per capita incomes on the continent, though lower oil revenues has seen growth contract in recent years.

Indeed, although the economy is starting from a low base, all the component parts are in place to meet the government’s ambitious agenda. New discoveries of substantial natural gas reserves will augment the nation’s strong resource base and support the industrialisation programme. In addition, the country has a strong services sector, accounting for the largest share of economic output. With long-held political stability reaffirmed in recent elections, Tanzania is also well placed to capture a larger share of the tourism dollars spent on the continent.

OBG introduces the reader to the different aspects of the legal system in Gabon, in partnership with Deloitte Gabon. OBG talks to Nicolas Balesme, Managing Partner, Deloitte Gabon, about the governance and benefits of public-private partnerships (PPPs).

In conjunction with Deloitte Gabon, OBG explores the taxation system, examining Gabon’s investor-friendly environment. OBG talks to Angela Adibet, Head of Legal and Tax Department, Deloitte Gabon, about the Finance Act of 2016 and the fiscal framework.

In a bid to diversify Gabon’s economy away from hydrocarbons, the government has been looking to boost the tourism sector as a means to generate foreign currency, create jobs and promote social and economic development across the country. The sector is expected to develop in the next few years on the back of expanded hotel capacity, upgraded transport infrastructure and better air links, following the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (ACN). As a major regional event, the 2017 ACN should give the sector a major boost, especially with regard to hotel capacity. However, further work to address obstacles, including a lack of qualified staff, insufficient transport links to parks and ongoing poaching activities, remains crucial to developing the industry.

Already the most developed market in Central Africa, according to the International Telecommunications Union, the expansion of Gabon’s ICT sector is high on the government’s priority list for the coming years, as it continues to push for economic diversification and private sector development. In 2015 the sector accounted for 5% of the economy, according to the National Agency for Digital Infrastructure and Frequencies. However, the government has laid out ambitious strategies to broaden access and inclusion, which will require significant capital investments, particularly in rural areas, which may become more difficult in light of the government’s slowing revenues.
This chapter contains a roundtable with Abderrahim Koumaa, Director-General, Gabon Telecom; Alain Kahasha, Managing Director, Airtel Gabon; and George Akoury, CEO, Azur Gabon.

The mining sector has traditionally been a major currency earner for Gabon. The country is the world’s fourth-largest producer of manganese, and is thought to have more than 2bn tonnes of iron ore, over 40 tonnes of proven gold reserves, and a range of other base and rare-earth minerals, including lead, zinc, copper, diamonds, niobium and titanium. The mining sector’s contribution to GDP is estimated to have remained flat at 4% in 2015. However, the potential of the sector is illustrated by government plans to boost GDP contribution to 25% over the next 15 years.
This chapter contains interviews with Martial-Rufin Moussavou, Former Minister of Mining and Industry; and Pietro Amico, General Representative, Eramet Gabon.